This invention relates generally to a system and method for tracking vehicles, such as aircraft or ground transportation vehicles, on the ground and in particular to a system and method for classifying and tracking aircraft or other vehicles while on the grounds of an airport.
It is desirable to be able to track aircraft both while in the air and on the ground in order to prevent collisions between the aircraft either in the air or on the ground. It is well known that aircraft are tracked while they are in the air by air traffic controllers using radar. These systems effectively track the aircraft while in the air and ensure that aircraft do not collide during flight. However, these radar systems cannot be easily used to track aircraft on the ground because radar is typically mounted on the ground and radiates its energy upwards. Thus, another system for tracking aircraft while on the ground is needed.
It is also desirable to be able to track the aircraft or other vehicles while the aircraft and the vehicles are on the ground at the airport since many collisions and accidents occur while the aircraft is taxing, landing or taking off. In particular, an aircraft is more vulnerable while on the ground since the radar cannot help prevent collisions with other aircraft and there are also ground transportation vehicles which can collide with the aircraft. One conventional system for guiding aircraft already equipped with Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) along taxiways uses two inductive loops installed on the right half and left half of the taxiway. Each inductive loop is driven at a different frequency so that a sensor mounted within the aircraft detects the composite magnetic field induced by the inductive loops and supplies the resultant signal to the ILS system to provide right/left guidance instructions to the pilot of the aircraft through the ILS system. In addition, a dipole marker antenna is embedded in the runway or taxiway and transmits a signal with a unique identifier so that the existing ILS equipment in the aircraft can detect the unique identifier and send information to an air traffic controller (ATC) facility which can determine the position of the aircraft. This conventional system is expensive because it requires both an inductive loop for guiding the aircraft as well as a dipole antenna for determining the position of the aircraft. In addition, this conventional system can not automatically track a plane without communication between the aircraft and the air traffic controllers (ATCs) and cannot automatically determine the type of the aircraft. This conventional system also requires a typical ILS system on board the airplane in order to track and guide the aircraft. This is especially a problem for smaller aircraft that may not have the ILS equipment installed since it is not required for the smaller aircraft. This system also requires that some equipment is added to the aircraft which means that only aircraft which have been appropriately modified may be used with the system.
It is also known that automobiles may be classified using a conventional inductive loop system. This system may also be able to determine the type of automobile passing over the inductive loop as well as the approximate speed of the automobile. This system, however, cannot be used to track and classify aircraft as well as other vehicles since a different technique to classify aircraft as opposed to automobiles is necessary and this conventional system does not actually attempt to track the automobiles as the automobiles travel along the road.
Thus, there is a need for system and method for classifying and tracking aircraft or other vehicles on the ground of an airport which avoid these and other problems of known systems and methods, and it is to this end that the present invention is directed.
The invention provides a system for classifying and tracking aircraft and ground vehicles on the grounds of an airport which can provide an air traffic controller with knowledge of where each aircraft or vehicle is on the runway or taxiway surfaces in any weather conditions. In addition, the system may combine other existing sensors, such as air surveillance radar into the system to provide an integrated system with air and ground coverage. The system may also alert an air traffic controller (ATC) when a potential collision between ground objects may occur.
The system, due to the classification of the aircraft, can provide a departure queue for the ATCs with safety intervals between the aircraft. Using existing data about each aircraft, such as the airline and flight number, an aircraft being tracked may have legends associated with it indicating the airline and the flight number. The system with the inductive loop sensors is less expensive than a conventional system. The system may also be integrated with air radar to provide an air and ground tracking system. The system may also be scaled up as an airport expands in size because additional sensors are added underneath the additional runways and taxiways.
The system operates in all weather and visibility conditions and is very reliable since the system automatically checks its functioning, reports any malfunctions to an operator, and there are no moving parts in the system to wear out. The system also may be installed rapidly. For example, on new runways, the sensors are embedded directly into the surface paving material. The system may also be quickly integrated into the airport""s existing air traffic control system. In addition, since the system has a plurality of inductive loop sensors connected to distributed sensor electronics units, there is no single point of failure as exists with conventional complex radar systems. The portion of the system located near the runways and taxiways is sealed within a weatherproof enclosure which may be powered by solar cells or by direct power (AC or DC).
In accordance with the invention, a system for classifying and tracking vehicles on the grounds of an airport, the airport having at least one runway and at least one taxiway, is provided. The system comprises one or more sensors positioned at predetermined locations adjacent the runway and the taxiway to generate a signal when a vehicle passes near a particular sensor, means for selecting one of a predetermined number of classifications for the vehicle passing over the particular sensor based on the signal generated by the particular sensor, means for determining the position of the vehicle having the selected classification over the grounds of the airport as the vehicle passes over the one or more sensors, and means for displaying a representation of the vehicle on the grounds of the airport, the representation of the vehicle indicating the selected classification of the vehicle and the position of the vehicle on the grounds of the airport.